News-Antique.com - Mar 11,2010 - Sotheby’s 23 March 2010 sale of Chinese Works of Art will feature paintings, ceramics, jades and furniture including a number of Imperial works from distinguished private collections. Among the highlights of the sale is A Fine and Rare Imperial 'Zitan’ Stand and Base – zitan is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious of materials, so much so that it was said to be reserved only for use in the Imperial court (est. $180/250,000). Chinese painting is well represented in the auction and leading the selection is Bada Shanren’s Two Mynas on a Rock from 1692, a compelling composition from the artist’s golden period of creativity (est. $400/600,000). The auction is estimated to bring $6/8 million and will be on view from 19 March.

The Fine and Rare Imperial ‘Zitan’ Stand and Base (est. $180/250,000) is nearly identical to one in the Qing Court
Collection, preserved in the Summer Palace, Beijing. The generous use of the thick zitan timber, and the intricately and deeply carved design, were extravagances justifiable only for imperial purposes. Used to hold jardinières or censers, the stand and base represent the very best of Qing dynasty furniture workmanship.

A Rare Imperial Tribute Guangzhou Ivory and Tortoiseshell Fan from the Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty, is one of only a handful of such fans to have survived (est. $100/150,000). It was one of a group made in Guangzhou during the Qing dynasty as tribute gifts for the Emperor. Many that remain are in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing. The delicately plaited ivory set into a tortoiseshell frame and embellished with stained ivory, mother-of-pearl and kingfisher feather together create a whimsical composition of magpies among bamboo and butterflies.

Three impressive rhinoceros horn carvings are offered this season. Among them is a Large and Rare Rhinoceros Horn Cup, dating to the 16th / 17th century of the Ming dynasty. It depicts Shoulao, the God of Immortality on a crane descending to meet the Eight Daoist Immortals (est. $180/220,000). Of a magnificent size, the carving and beautiful honey tone make the figures loom out from the gently rounded surface of the cup.

Louis Cartier, the founder of the Cartier style, was also an avid collector of Asian works of art of the highest quality. One of the many objects in his superb collection was A Red Lacquer Case with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay, 19th century, Qing dynasty (est. $30/40,000). Cartier collected mostly between 1910-1930 after which he semi-retired and ceased collecting. His passion for Asian art is demonstrated by the influence it had over his jewelry designs, many of which featured Chinese motifs, forms
and shapes.

Porcelain is well represented by A Rare Blue and White Jar dating to the Xuande period (1426-1435) of the Ming dynasty (est. $80/120,000) which comes from the Collection of Alfred Guntermann. Only four of these jars are known with two in the Palace Museum in Beijing and one in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.